Tailstock alignment.

[olderdan]

Thanks Tony for the pics, I could see that your bike is very special but to me still still has the lines of a classic machine, quite an achievement. I love those 4LS brakes and Ceriani type forks.
I'm stuck in a time warp with old British iron and don't ride any more but still enjoy restoring them, I envy the fun you are having.

[tonyfoale]

Dan,

Sorry to read that you don't ride anymore but you are right I am having a bunch of fun.
I built it for classic races, it is basically a replica of the bike that I built in the early 70s, they weren't considered classics then. I used disc brakes back then, but under most classic racing organization's rules now I have had to go back to drums. I much prefer discs.
I have two main ambitions, I raced at Daytona in 2006 and I want to do that again when I'm 80. The other is that I'd like one more crack at the IoM, I rode there several times in the early 70s. I would like to ride in the classic TT.
I cut my teeth on Brit iron but never liked them much except for Vincents which I never owned. Most did three things that I hated.
1. Leaked oil.
2. Vibrated.
3. Broke down, often due to the Prince of Darkness.

Here is a pic of my first race (1960) on the race bike that I built up. A Maton (Matchless engine, Norton frame).



This is at Ballaugh during my first visit to the island and my first race at Daytona some 46 years after my first ever.

[DIYer]

Thanks tonyfoale! We've added your Tailstock Alignment Method to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: tonyfoale's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Tailstock Alignment Method by tonyfoale

tags: alignment, measurement, tailstock

[j.bickley]

tonyfoale,
Very clever idea. I like and will use that method. Keep in mind that vertical shimming up the dropped tailstock (a few thousandths) matters little as long as the work is machined at 9 o'clock position. Again, clever idea!
---Joe

[tonyfoale]

tonyfoale,
Very clever idea. I like and will use that method. Keep in mind that vertical shimming up the dropped tailstock (a few thousandths) matters little as long as the work is machined at 9 o'clock position. Again, clever idea!
---Joe

Joe,
I hate misalignment in any direction. A dropped tail stock will make a drill wobble and drill oversize just as much as the same lateral misalignment.

[j.bickley]

Joe,
I hate misalignment in any direction. A dropped tail stock will make a drill wobble and drill oversize just as much as the same lateral misalignment.

Tony, you are very right about that. Maybe a chucked up small diameter end mill drill might alleviate some that problem by "boring" action rather than drilling. One of the flutes's cutting edges will have to be at top dead center and hopefully the deep hole is not a requirement!
Happy New Year!

---Joe

[Frank S]

I'm with Tony when it comes to misalignment of the tail stock. Just getting it true centered with the spindle fully retracted is not enough It needs to be true centered when fully extended as well.
I often power tap holes from 3/8" through 1 1/2" For larger taps it is not much of a problem but the smaller taps can snap right off. Not to mention how a deep hole can become a tapered hole or even out of round from the flexing of the drill bit.

[Okapi]

Hi Tony,
I don't forget to make pictures from my milling machine. ;-)
What you describe here was made in a similar idea as a specialised tool called "Centricator", it was very expensive but usable on a lot of situations, the most important thing when we measure that centering is to make it on two or more positions of the bar, not only at one point, I've seen some repaired CM2 which were 0,5mm. out of center on 50mm.
The Centricator documentation : http://www.lecollectionneur.ch/archi...ator-c-iii.pdf

[tonyfoale]

I have just put up a video showing how I use this method as well as the more conventional methods.
Also here is a post showing a modification to my tailstock to help maintain the alignment
http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/i...255#post130774

[Bony]

Tony, doesn't your described method only align the tailstock on the assumption that the chuck you're using is itself 100% accurately centred? In saying this it appears from the photo the dial indicator is effectively mounted in the chuck.

May I suggest that mounting the DI onto a faceplate would be more accurate.